Category Archives: cooking

Most of us love sugar cookies. Me included… I am particularly fond of softcookies.

What is the secret to soft sugar cookies??? Normally I would say lard… but in this case it is actually sour cream. (okay- maybe a combination of the two)

These are made with my Grammy M’s recipe. *note* I make a very simple frosting that is so much faster and easier than making a traditional Royal Icing (in case you were wondering, yes, it’s the very same as the Hog Heaven Sugar Cookies I was selling in Buffalo Gals Mercantile)

~Cream well butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat in eggs. Beat in vanilla and sour cream. Add in baking powder and salt, mix well. Add in flour 1 cp at a time. ** mixture will be very soft!** Refrigerate for about an hour. Roll and cut into desired shapes. (a 1/4″ or more is perfect.

Bake at 350 on parchment lined cookie sheets about 7-8 minutes. The bottoms will be just turning color and they will be soft to touch. Let cool a couple minutes, remove to rack to finish cooling.

Frosting- I cheat- I simply mix powdered sugar with a smidge of milk and then add in Karo. ***For this many cookies, 2 c powdered sugar, about 1/4 +/- c milk and 1 TBS Karo ought to do the job.*** It should be pretty thick. *Super easy to color with liquid or gel coloring. **Super easy to ‘paint’ on with cheap paintbrush If you want a real Royal Icing check it out here.

***NOTES*** Bear with me- these notes are geared towards my kiddo’s!

*Yes. Mom cheats and does not mix the dry goods together first.. I just do it all in the one bowl. *NO– you do NOT have to sift the dry goods.. You can, but I have not noticed a difference. *Eggs– If you have fresh eggs from the farm, “3” is open to interpretation.. usually moms eggs are smaller than ‘jumbo’ store bought, in which case use 4. *Rolling them out- Don’t forget to flour the counter when rolling! (keeps it from sticking. if you don’t have a rolling pin, don’t worry.. I know you have at least a beer bottle or something similar. **No cookie cutter? Use a glass or whatever you have handy.

mix the milk and lemon juice together and put in the freezer for about 7-10 min… while it’s chilling, melt the butter and let cool. In the meantime mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and make an indent (well) in the center.

Here comes some magic!– Add the butter to the chilled milk and watch it make little butter balls/slush. Pour into dry and stir until just mixed. Turn out and roll or pat –gently-(I prefer pat) to about 1 inch-ish. and fold and pat..repeat like 6 times.

Cut with a cutter or glass. *tip* Do NOT twist the cutter/cup it makes the edges ‘crimp’ and your biscuits won’t rise well.

Bake at 425 10 min -they’ll be golden on top- take out and brush with some melted butter.

Mama used a cookie cutter

Gobble up. Eat with jam, make biscuits and gravy, dunk in gravy, make sandwiches…..

Notes to my kids who don’t cook:*No rolling pin? Use a wine bottle or similar. * Simple frosting: about a cup of powdered sugar, mix in 1 tablespoon moo and pour over. *Add raisins or cranberries for more flavor * Scalded milk makes it more of an Italian Sweet Dough. * Yes-you Can use Margarine. * BakingPowder is NOT same as the Baking Soda you use in the fridge! * Want them to taste like Johnsons Corners rolls??? add Vanilla pudding to the mix. ~ Either a snack pak or 1/2 package dry mix. **if you use the snackpak you will need to add a bit more flour. ***Monkey Bread~ instead of rolling out, tear into pieces and pile in a bread pan (pie pan, whatever) . Mix 1 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup melted butter and pour over top. Bake 350 for about 20 min. *Make Minis by cutting dough in 1/2 and then rolling out to make baby rolls and use a muffin pan.

~~Other useless information:Where I grew up there is a huge difference between Sweet rolls, cinnamon rolls, caramel rolls and sticky buns!!!! ~~ Cinn Rolls are just plain, Sweet has the white or cream cheese frosting, Caramel has the Carmel frosting ON TOP. and sticky buns are bakes with the gooey and nuts in the pan.

Every year Farm and Ranch Guide puts on a Country Woman of the Year contest.

People are supposed to write in why they think their woman should win…. But there are guidelines… Community involvement, Special deeds, Involvement with the daily operations etc. ~ This implies all manner of things.

Most of the women nominated log long hours in real production in crops and livestock, they are active in church and volunteer for nearly everything, blah- blah- blah. All without a hair out of place. You know the types.

Don’t get me wrong~I am not disparaging them in any way. Many of the nominated women are my neighbors. Some of them have won. I admire these women.

I asked Hubby once WHY he didn’t nominate me. He said because I am none of those things, but am Everything to him. (and that he sucks at writing)

That being said- I AM a Country Woman of the Year… Day in and day out. Year after year.

I don’t need a contest to tell me so.

“I can bring home the Bacon…. Fry it up in a pan…….” Remember that commercial? That about sums it up.

In my little world, I am the one who raises the kids and attends school functions, nurses the bottle babies (Calves and Kitties alike), bakes fresh bread every couple days, Cooks from scratch every meal, minds the garden, cans more goods than a grocery store, gate girl when it’s blizzarding and -30 out, sews and mends, shuffles hubby and vehicles from field to field, watches the markets, tracks the weather, brings him lunch in the field, never ever calls him when he’s out with the guys, works from home, goes to church, does the parts running, beer fairy, handles correspondence and the usual round of maid chores too. I put a good spin on things when they go awry and make hubby feel better about it. I am constantly championing small business in rural communities, attend Downtowners Conferences on my own dime and time so I can better myself and my community, make a quilt every year to donate for raffle at charity, finds the humor in the dark times, mend broken hearts and bruised egos, teach the kids to dream, keeper of the memories and family stories, teaches others how to bake and sew, butchers chickens with the best of them, run a small business of my own, don’t complain when our plans are cancelled yet again because ‘We have to go to the field, NOW’, I know that boots DO go with everything, and more. ~ I know that there are 3 big social functions (4 in a good year!) … Two farm shows and a Pheasants 4ever banquet (you can sub- cattlemans, DU or whatever) If it’s a good year- a trip the fair gets tossed in. Otherwise my social engagements are solo.

Things I won’t or don’t do? I refuse to ever again “Hold that panel, damnit!” when the BULL is making a break for it nor do I drive his big boy toys.

I am proud to support my Hubby- an American Farmer- behind the scenes in all these little ways.

Ours are not the most restrictive, but they don’t help much in a predominately rural state.

~Currently we can sell baked goods, jams and jellies, lefse, candies and similar items at Farmers Markets, Country Fairs and Non-profit or charitable events. ~

Jams from Mare’s Creations

We cannot (not supposed to) sell at Craft shows, at for profit events, food festivals, online or out of our homes. (interesting- we make it at home, but can’t sell it from our home!)

~I propose the following changes: Allow us to sell from home, sell at shows, sell to retail establishments- as long as they are labeled as such, allow in-state online sales (not to exceed 50,000$ a year) ~

Also I would suggest mandatory insurance of some amount, and have to register as a business (can be done online for a very nominal fee that way you can at least be tracked down if need be)

Why? you ask….

#1 Because North Dakota is a predominately rural state. In spite of big oil and big money, the rest of the state is still the same. It is still mainly small towns and sparse population. Not every one can drive to ‘town’ (meaning the big 8) for a job, and not every small town can employ everybody. And not everybody even lives near a town! (we’re 17 to the nearest village)

#2 It will make a difference. It would bring in more tax money to rural,small and outlying communities. A much needed income stream! It will help us, help ourselves. It can get people off assistance. It can make a difference between keeping a roof over your head, or not. It can help an entrepreneur take those first steps. It can spark hope in a town that may think it’s days are done. It can promote tourism and Agri-tourism. It can do many things for us.

Buffalo Baking Co. -Morada, CA

** I can actually give a hundred good reasons, but for sake of space, I won’t**

I also don’t think we need an inspection either. Standard food service rules should be applied and followed along with common sense. Most people who sell at farmers markets, bazaar’s etc have cleaner homes than most restaurants you eat in. Really.

~What about the Nay Sayers? and the “It’s not Fair!” people?…. What about them? No is just a word. And Life isn’t fair. I totally understand where the lady who busted her chops to open a traditional bakery,and spent tons of time and money to do so may be miffed. But realistically it’s apples and oranges. Cookies and Jams are not Kuchen, Cream Puffs or other premium egg or custard based delicacies. The home baker is not a threat to commercial businesses. We are an option.

Arizona allows resale of Home Baked Goods to coffee shops, cafe’s etc as long as they are properly labeled. They also allow for in state internet sales.

Texas has created over ONE THOUSAND NEW JOBS this year through cottage food laws! Think about the tax revenue that brings in! And… in all 25 counties, Not 1 complaint has been filed against any home baker!

California and Utah have very generous CFL’s.

So- start shouting it from your roof tops! Tell your friends, pester your local legislators and city governments to get on the band wagon.

~ Today on the radio I listened to an interview between well known Italian chef Gino D’Acampo and a British talk show host… and of course the moment I got in the house I HAD to Google the live event….

In a nut shell~ The host insults the poor man by saying “If you just add ham….”who quickly replies with

“if’a my Grand-a-mutha had wheels, she’d’a be a bike-a”

Can you Hear the cadence and inflection in your head?? I can.

I laughed and laughed.

Because I am half Italian. and I understand. COMPLETELY.

~When we were younger, my brother told my mother that her cooking was “ALMOST as good s Chef-Boy-R-Dee”

My mother went on strike with some gestures and muttering with what we loosely translated to mean “If we everwanted another hot meal, we’d damn well better fix it ourselves because we sure the heck-0 weren’t getting it from her.” (ever)

I actually have some very funny stories about being Italian… But we’ll save those for a later date! WHY??? Because I will have to run fast when my Mother finds out I put her picture in here! ~

Mouthwatering cakes, finger-licking good fried chicken, crispy onion rings….well you get the idea. But I could go on.

Potato Pancakes…. sizzling!

In todays world, most people cringe when you say LARD. “Whaaaaat?? Lard???? That’ll kill you! ” In the past century some of the greatest recipes called for rendered lard. Pork. Beef. Chicken. What do you think people used before all these processed oils???

(*ok.. besides the Italians, Greeks and Spanish that had a direct line to God with their olive oils.)

My grandmother made the moistest, richest chocolate cakes with lard. And I have made some incredible Chocolate/Apricot COOKIES with a recipe gleaned from an old boyfriends mom…. It was in her WW2 era cookbook.

So my cousin Hannah has come for a month long visit to our farm. She is 9 years old.
At first I was “What am I supposed to DO with a GIRL?” We raised Boys!
~As it turns out, there was nothing to fear.~ We both speak SARCASM fluently.
She was (is) a self admitted “indoor” girl.
Well- things have changed a smidge.. I am sure her Mama will have a few bad habits to break!
BOOTS go with everything. Hannah has worn her boots more that her sandals and hasn’t even touched tennis shoes yet. 🙂

Cookies for breakfast

COOKIES for breakfast are ok sometimes.WALKS are great for dream making… Hannah wishes to be an Artist or a Fashion Designer… I hope she follows her dreams, where ever they may lead.
Dirt won’t kill you… we have been in the garden daily. she has learned to simply rub things that fall in the dirt on her pants and keep on going…

She can DO ANYTHING. She has learned that with a little perseverance and cussing, all tasks are do-able! So very proud of her!!

I Can Do it!

Coffee nearly BLACK… and a sweet tooth for French Vanilla flavoring.POLKAand two-step are a must have in the dance repository if you want to be ‘social’ around these parts.

fun in the sun

HAY BALES are great fun. So is the quad and the dog. CHICKENS will follow you like the Pied Piper.

Well~ I gotta run. More on our adventures later…. sewing, baking, swimming, dancing and more! We have MEMORIES to go make!